Safe stove for campers

ABSTRACT

An adapter plate snugly surrounds the burner head of a fuel burner and seals against ambient air ingress to the burner head from the region immediately surrounding it from below. The adapter plate and a side and top wall unit together define an oxidation chamber into which the burner head extends and which is a closed chamber with respect to the space being heated. A first conduit brings air into the oxidation chamber from a region outside of the space and a second conduit conducts exhaust gases out from the oxidation chamber, through said space, and discharges them outside of said space.

United States Patent [1'9], 9 Wolfe v in] 3,815,572 [451 June 11, 1974 SAFE STOVE FOR CAMPERS Inventor: Robert T. Wolfe, Rt. 2, Box 22A,

' Arlington, Wash. 98223 Filed: Jan. 17, 1973 Appl. No.: 324,483

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3/1933 Pickup 126/93 X 2,130,086 9/1938 Hart 126/85 R 3,457,021 7/1969 Gladden'et a1. 431/329 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 354,153 l/1931 Great Britain 126/85 B Primary ExaminerWi1liam F .ODea

Assistant Examiner-Larry I. Schwartz Attorney, Agent, or FirmGraybea1, Barnard, Uhlir & Hughes 1 5 7 1 ABSTRACT An adapter plate snugly surrounds the burner head of a fuel burner and seals against ambient air ingress to the burner head from the region immediately surrounding it from below. The adapter plate and a side and topwall unit together define an oxidation chamber into which the burner head extends and which is a closed chamber with respect to the space being heated. A first conduit brings air into the oxidation chamber from a region outside of the space and a second conduit conducts exhaust gases out from the oxidation chamber, through said space, and discharges them outside of said space.

9 Claims, 8 Drawing igures 1 I1 I l ,PATENTEUJUN 1 1 I974 SHEET 10F 2 lRlllll l SAFE STOVE FOR CAMPERS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to space heaters, and in particular to an attachment for converting a fuel consuming stove or heater into a stove that is safe to use for heating a relatively small living quarters, such as a tent, a camper or a trailer house. i

2. Description of the Prior Art Some camping is done in relatively cold weather in which it would be nice to have a small stove for heating the tent, camper, trailer. house or other small living quarters being used by the camper. Small portable fuel consuming heaters are available for use by campers.

However, all of the known types utilize ambient air to support combustion or catalytic oxidation of the fuel. Such heaters cannot be safely used in a relatively small closed space,'such as-a tent, camper, etc. because they would quickly consume the oxygen in such'a space and would also discharge their exhaust products into the space. Many deaths by affixiation have been caused by the unwise use of such portable heaters'within small camping quarters.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The purpose of this invention is to provide a stove that can be safely used by campers for heating their tents, campers, trailer houses, etc. The stoves of this invention do not utilize air from within the quarters being heated and the exhaust products are-not exhausted into such quarters.

In preferred form, the stove of this invention comprises a fuel burning stove or heater of a commercially available conventional type, and an attachment for making it safeto use within a relatively small closed space. Such attachment comprises an adapter plate sized to snugly surround the upwardly directed burner head of the conventional heater, below the fuel admitting openings therein at the burning face of said heater.

An oxidation chamber completion unit fits onto and is connectable to the adapter plate. It includes side and top wall means which, together with the adapter plate define a closed oxidation chamber about the burner head. Air to support combustion or catalytic decompo sition of the fuel is brought into the oxidation chamber by a conduit which extends from a region outside of the quarters to be heated by the stove. A second conduit conducts the exhaust gases out from the oxidation chamber and through the living quarters, to discharge them outside of such quarters.

Advantageously, the oxidation chamber completion unit may include a convection jacket which surrounds the oxidation chamber in spaced relationship thereto, to define a convection passageway between it and said oxidation chamber, open both top and bottom.

These and other features and characteristics of the stove of this invention will be apparent from the detailed description of the illustrated embodiments which follows.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is an isometric view of an embodiment of the invention adapted to be mounted onto a portable catalytic heater or the like, with a foreground portion thereof cut-away for the sake of better illustration;

i FIG. 2 is a reduced scale elevational view showing the adapter plate spaced above the heater and the oxidation chamber top and side wall unit spaced above the adapter plate;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the assembled stove, with the oxidation chamber portion thereof shown in section, the sectionbeing taken substantially along line 3-3 of FIG. 4;

- FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along line 44 of FIG. 3; I

FIG. 5 is a view like FIG. 3, but of a modified form of the invention, involving an oxidation chamber that is adapted to be attached onto a cooking stove burner;

FIG. 6 is a reduced scale schematic diagram of a stove of the present invention within a closed space to be heated thereby;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged scale fragmentary view of the burner head base region showing a modified form of oxidation chamber support; and

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along line 8-8 of FIG. 7.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring first to FIGS. 2 and 3, the first embodiment of the invention is shown-to involve a small, portable, catalytic heater 10, having an upwardly directed burner head 12. Fuel within a lower tank portion 14 of the burner 10 is delivered upwardly to discharge from is oxidized contiguous the head 12. This type of heater normally utilizes ambient air to oxidize the fuel.

According to the invention, an adapter plate or ring 16 snugly surrounds the burner head 12 above the discharge openings therein for the fuel. Plate 16 includes a central opening 18 through which the burner head projects. The portion 20 of plate 16 immediately bordering the opening 18 rests on a circumferential shoulder portion 22 of the heater 10.

An oxidation chamber completion unit 24is detachably connected at its lower end to the adapter plate 16. Such unit 24 is shown to comprise a cylindrical side wall 26 and a top wall 28. The adapter plate 16 may include an upwardly turned lip 30 at its periphery for frictionally engaging a reduced diameter lower end portion 32 of theunit 24. A plurality of snap connectors 34 or the like may be provided for locking the unit 24 to adapter plate 16. 1

According to the invention, the adapter plate 16 forms a closed bottom for the oxidation chamber and with the unit 24 defines an oxidation chamber into which the burner head 12 projects. All of the walls 16, 26, 28 are imperforate so that the oxidation chamber is a closed chamber with respect to a campers living quarters or other small space S to be heated by the stove. Air to support combustion or catalytic decomposition is brought into the oxidation chamber by a first conduit 36 originating from a region 38 outside of the space S. The first conduit 36 may comprise a length of flexible tubing (e.g. hose material) interconnected between apair of end fittings 40, 42. The inlet fitting 40 engages an opening in an exterior wall portion 44 of the enclosure being heated. The outlet fitting 42 engages an opening in either the side wall 26 or the adapter plate 16.

The exhaust gases are delivered out from the oxidationchamber through a second conduit 46. It may be a suitable length of heat resistant pipe or tubing which is'interconnect'ed between afirst fitting 48, carried by the top wall 28 (or an upper portion of the side wall 26), and a second fitting 50 secured about another opening in the exterior wall of the enclosure being heated.

' Preferably, the oxidation chamber is provided with a convection jacket 52 which surrounds the oxidation chamber and is held in spaced relationship thereto, such as by a pluralityof radial spacers 54. The space between the jacket 52 and the oxidation chamber is open at its bottom for receiving cold air and at its top for discharging heated air. During stove use the air within the convection space becomes heated and rises. The heated air is replaced by new cold air and the process is repeated, establishing convection currents with the space S The convection jacket 52 also serves as a protective barrier to prevent direct contact with the hot side wall 26.

To provide maximum shielding protection the jacket 52 may extend downwardly to about the level of the adapter plate 16. Openings 56 are then provided in the lower portion of the jacket 52v to serveas access avenues to the connectors 34. a

H6. 5 .shows a modified form of the invention in which the adapter plate 16 surrounds the neck region of the burnerhead 12 for a gas cooking stove of the type found in campers and trailerhouses. In this embodiment the inlet conduit 36' engages a fitting which is connected to the adapter plate 1.6. The convection jacket 52 is shorter than in the first embodiment and its lower end is above the level of the connectors 34'. As in the earlier embodiment, the jacket 52 is attached to the oxidation chamber by means of a plurality of radial spacer members 54 which are interconnected between the jacket 52' and the side wall 26' of the oxidation chamber. An exhaust gas fitting 48 is carried by a top wall 28 and an exhaust conduit 46 is connected to the fitting 48.

H6. 6 is a schematic view of the first embodiment showing both the inlet fitting for the air delivery conduit 36 and the outlet fitting for the exhaust conduit 46 engaging openings in a common wall 44 of the space S, in close proximity to the stove.

H65. 7 and 8 show a modified form of support arrangement for the oxidation chamber 16, 26 and 28. In this form the head body 10 is provided with a plurality (e.g. three-evenly spaced) of upstanding support members to which flat topped cross members 62 are attached. The burner head 12" is removable (like a plugon cap) from its neck 64. The adapter member 16" is then set onto the members 62 with its central opening receiving the neck 64. Then the burner head 12" is reinstalled. y

it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the construction of details which are shown in the drawing and are described above, but that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An attachment for converting a fuel consuming stove or heater of a type having an upwardly directed burner head of a type having an exposed burning face into a stove that is safe to use for heating a relatively small living quarters, said attachment comprising:

an adapter plate that is detachably connectable to such a heater, said plate having an opening therein for receiving the burner head, said opening being sized to fit said adapter plate snugly about the burner head below said burning face; an oxidation chamber completion unit including side wall means detachably connectable to said adapter plate, and top wall means connected to said side walls means;

said adapter plate, said side wall means, and said top wall means together defining an oxidation chamber into which said burner head and said burning face extend;

first conduit means for bringing primary combustion air into said oxidation chamber from a region outside of the living quarters; I

second conduit means for conducting exhaust gases out from said oxidation chambe'nthrough said living quarters, to discharge them outside of said living quarters; and

said adapter plate, said side wall means and said top wall means being otherwise closed so that the ambient air within the living quarters will not be consumed within the oxidation chamber and the exhaust gases will not be exhausted from the oxidation chamber into said living quarters.

2. The attachment of claim 1, wherein theportion of the adapter plate bordering the opening for the burner head is sized and shaped to rest on a shoulder portion of the stove or heater, at a location below the burning face of the burner head.

3. The attachment of claim 1, further including a convection jacket surrounding said side wall means in spaced relationship thereto, to define a convection passageway between it and said side wall means which passageway is open at both its bottom and its top.

4. The attachment of claim 1, further including a detachable connection between the lower portion of the side wall means and the outer peripheral portion of the adapter plate. 7

5. The attachment of claim 4, wherein said detachable connection includes a plurality of connectors spaced about the oxidation chamber, for locking said wall means to saidadapter plate. a

'6. The attachment of claim 1, wherein said first conduit means includes a through fitting connected to a lower portion of said side wall means or to a portion of said adapter plate.

7. The attachment of claim 6, where said first conduit means also includes a second through fitting connectable to an exterior wall portion of the living quarters, and a flexible conduit interconnectable between said fittings.

8. The attachment of claim 1, wherein said second conduit means includes a first through fitting connected to an upper portion of said oxidation chamber,

a second through fitting connectable to an exterior wall unit attached thereto. 

1. An attachment for converting a fuel consuming stove or heater of a type having an upwardly directed burner head of a type having an exposed burning face into a stove that is safe to use for heating a relatively small living quarters, said attachment comprising: an adapter plate that is detachably connectable to such a heater, said plate having an opening therein for receiving the burner head, said opening being sized to fit said adapter plate snugly about the burner head below said burning face; an oxidation chamber completion unit including side wall means detachably connectable to said adapter plate, and top wall means connected to said side walls means; said adapter plate, said side wall means, and said top wall means together defining an oxidation chamber into which said burner head and said burning face extend; first conduit means for bringing primary combustion air into said oxidation chamber from a region outside of the living quarters; second conduit means for conducting exhaust gases out from said oxidation chamber, through said living quarters, to discharge them outside of said living quarters; and said adapter plate, said side wall means and said top wall means being otherwise closed so that the ambient air within the living quarters will not be consumed within the oxidation chamber and the exhaust gases will not be exhausted from the oxidation chamber into said living quarters.
 2. The attachment of claim 1, wherein the portion of the adapter plate bordering the opening for the burner head is sized and shaped to rest on a shoulder portion of the stove or heater, at a location below the burning face of the burner head.
 3. The attachment of claim 1, further including a convection jacket surrounding said side wall means in spaced relationship thereto, to define a convection passageway between it and said side wall means which passageway is open at both its bottom and its top.
 4. The attachment of claim 1, further including a detachable connection between the lower portion of the side wall means and the outer peripheral portion of the adapter plate.
 5. The attachment of claim 4, wherein said detachable connection includes a plurality of connectors spaced about the oxidation chamber, for locking said wall means to said adapter plate.
 6. The attachment of claim 1, wherein said first conduit means includes a through fitting connected to a lower portion of said side wall means or to a portion of said adapter plate.
 7. The attachment of claim 6, where said first conduit means also includes a second through fitting connectable to an exterior wall portion of the living quarters, and a flexible conduit interconnectable between said fittings.
 8. The attachment of claim 1, wherein said second conduit means includes a first through fitting connected to an upper portion of said oxidation chamber, a second through fitting connectable to an exterior wall portion of the living quarters, and a conduit interconnectable between said fittings.
 9. The attachment of claim 1, in combination with a portable burner having a lower fuel tank portion, a neck upstanding from said fuel tank portion, a removable burner head fittable on said neck, and support means spaced about said neck for supporting said adapter plate and the oxidation chamber completion unit attached thereto. 